Alan McEvoy

Sexual Assault Recovery and Male Significant Others

A questionnaire addressing rape crisis services for male significant others (MSOs) of rape victims (i.e., husbands, fathers, brothers, close male friends) was mailed to the directors of all 700 rape-prevention and -treatment programs in the United States. Completed questionnaires were received from 411 programs, including 162 that were identified specifically as full-service rape crisis centers. Although 97% of the center directors responded that services for MSOs facilitate victim recovery, few centers offered services to males other than referral or short-term crisis counseling. Furthermore, 85% of the directors acknowledged that males were reluctant to use these services. The authors offer strategies for involving men in the recovery process with the assistance of rape crisis centers, including groups for secondary victims and staffing and referral considerations.

Heroes and Villains: A Conceptual Strategy for Assessing Their Influence

Abstract This paper explicates the relationship between reference group theory and a neglected cognate concept –- the reference idol. Reference idols, popularly thought of as cultural heroes and villains, represent a unique category of reference objects that can have considerable influence on an individuals attitudes, identities, and action patterns. A number of major assumptions considered basic to an understanding of reference other processes are reassessed in relation to public heroes and villains. This paper suggests a scaled typology for conceptualizing the levels of influence that reference idols may have, ranging from simple admiration or disdain to actions of personal sacrifice in behalf of the hero or in opposition to the villain.

Responses to Battered Women: Problems and Strategies

The problems encountered by a service organization assisting battered women, including issues of staff burn-out, public awareness, and interagency communication and referral, are examined in a survey, interviews and analysis of agency documents. Strategies for improving program effectiveness are offered.